Running out of Luck
by Dark Pirate Nellie
Summary: 4th story to "The Luckiest" series. Bellamort. AU. Bella and Voldy continue on their quest to obtain the Deathly Hallows and train their children in the Dark Arts, all the while balancing twins Proserpina and Gemini and dealing with a very distressed Lilith. Finally, Cissy's secret about Bellatrix is revealed when the sisters are placed in the most danger they've ever had to face.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the 4th installment of an ongoing series. If you are unfamiliar with "The Luckiest series," I would advise you read the other stories first. The order goes like this:**

**The Luckiest**

**Unlucky**

**As Luck Would Have It**

**Running out of Luck (this story)**

**Please bear in mind that I am not an experienced author. I am constantly learning new things and my style is always changing. Please be patient with my previous stories that may be somewhat poorly-written, awkward, or otherwise unsatisfactory. I would hope that in the years to come, after I have further improved that you would have the same patience for this one!**

**Enjoy :) We're jumping right into the plot of this one.**

History tends to repeat itself.

As luck would have it, I am going through hell again.

One of the worst things in this world is to see your children in pain. To see them suffering, hurting, frightened, screaming, crying.

I really thought it was over. To me, it seemed that the nightmares had ended, that Lilith's siblings had let her find peace and be unafraid. For the first time since Umbridge's men had attacked her she slept sweetly and soundly: no bad dreams, no sobbing at three in the morning. The peace lasted for about a year. For a year, we no longer needed hope; we stored it away because there was no reason to use it up. I'm glad we did, because I think we're going to run dry our supply of it.

This hell didn't start back up right away. By right away, I mean when things started to get... weird. I should've been concerned when Lilith started talking about her friend. When Lilith began to talk about a mysterious girl for the first time on her third birthday, I had gone through a list of all the young children in our family, but Lilith protested. She was not talking about Andrea or Proserpina, and I even asked about the boys, but it was not Gemini or Teddy either. Lilith insisted that she didn't know the little girl's name, but she could describe her vividly. She had brown curly hair, pale skin, and big eyes. She was Lilith's height and age. It dawned on me that maybe my daughter was talking about herself.

"Are you sure you weren't just looking in the mirror?" I teased, but Lilith violently shook her head with an offended look on her face that clearly said, "Don't undermine my intelligence, mother," so I pushed the matter no further.

It made Voldemort uneasy from the very beginning.

"Are you sure there isn't something wrong?" he asked as she played "potion-time" with a girl invisible to everyone other than herself.

I reassured him with a hand on his shoulder, "Little girls have big imaginations. Just give it some time. The twins are only one year old; they still chew on her toys more than they play with them. She's probably just lonely."

But the odd behavior only increased. I began to wonder if maybe she wasn't getting enough interaction with kids her own age, so I had Tonks bring Teddy and Andrea over more often. But soon, she was introducing the nonexistent friend to them too, alienating her own cousins with her fictitious friend.

"Lilith, don't you think you should maybe play without your friend sometimes? Everyone needs a little alone time," I told her.

"I can't, Mother," she gasped. "She's so sad and lonely. She just wants someone to see her!"

And if that wasn't bothersome enough, Lilith began to treat her like a real person. She refused to sleep on one side of the bed, held her hand wherever she went, begged me to put out an extra plate of food for a girl who would never eat it.

Voldemort could not take it any longer when Lilith threw a fit that her friend didn't get ice cream like the rest of us. He snapped.

"You need to stop this," he told the three-year-old abruptly, who stopped mid-cry, and stared at him with wide eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "I have no problem with you playing games. But this- _this_ has become an obsession. See those two people right there?" he demanded, pointing towards Proserpina and Gemini, "Do you know who they are? They are your _siblings. Your brother and sister_. Or have you forgotten them? _They_ are real people Lilith. I want you to stop this nonsense and acknowledge your own family. This isn't a game anymore. Do you understand?"

Lilith's head was tilted towards the ground.

"Lilith," I encouraged softly, "please look at your father and tell him you'll stop.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, not moving.

"Look at him, and say you'll stop," I repeated.

Lilith looked at me and I nodded. I saw a little lump rise and fall in her throat as she looked towards the place that she had deemed "my friend's place."

Then Lilith, sweet obedient Lilith who had never disrespected her father, never sassed him, never ever gone directly against something he told her to do, looked him straight in the eye and said a word to Voldemort that I was sure had never been directed towards him before.

"No."

At that point I was extremely concerned, but the worst was when Lilith's imaginary friend turned on her and made her cry three times a day.

"She wants you to know her, Momma," she sobbed. "She says you should know her and it's all my fault that you don't."

"It's not your fault," I comforted. "Why should I know her anyways? Where did you meet her?"

"In a dream," she cried. "It was a dream."

Dreams. I was no stranger to how important and powerful they could be. It took all of my reasoning to not get ahead of myself. It could mean nothing at all. Lilith had a strong imagination. She must have seen her friend in a dream, and brought her into the real world.

That's what I told myself until the girl found her way _back_ into Lilith's dreams. Except this time she wasn't friendly. She scared the living hell out of Lilith daily, telling her that people would die, that nobody loved her, that I was planning to leave her.

"Where are you going, Mother?" she whispered one night.

"Going? I'm not going anywhere, Lilith."

"She said you were."

"She's just a dream."

"She said you're going to leave me for a long time."

"It's not true, Lils. I promise."

These conversations had little variation from night to night. Lilith always talked of me leaving her. When she wasn't afraid of that, she was terrified that her family didn't care for her, after all, her imaginary best friend resented her, seemingly just for existing.

One night, it all changed. A situation that was once worrisome had become upsetting, and had then upgraded to frightening. That night, Lillith woke up with a piercing scream.

Voldemort and I ran into her room. She was hysterical and there was absolutely nothing we could do to help her.

"They're going to kill him! Why are they going to kill him?" she shrieked.

I tried to hush her, but to no avail. Voldemort asked, "Who? Who are they going to kill, Lilith?"

"My brother!"

Voldemort stiffened. "Gemini?" I blurted.

"Nonono! Not him! My other brother!"

"Lilith, you only have one brother," Voldemort informed her angrily. I motioned for him to calm down. The last thing we needed was for Lilith to become more stressed.

"Do you mean your _sister_, Lilith? Is Proserpina in danger?" I prodded.

"No! Not her! My _brother_! Why are they going to kill my brother?"

"Teddy!" Voldemort exclaimed, and I nodded. It could be Teddy. He and Lilith were extremely close.

"No!" Lilith cried. "He's not my brother; he's my cousin!"

"Who then, Lilith? Who are they going to kill?"

"My brother!"

"What brother?"

"Th-the one I saw in my dream."

"What is is name?" I asked fearfully.

"I don't know," came the response I had anticipated with dread.

Voldemort and I looked at each other. This was outside the realm of our understanding. Whatever was going on, it was serious.

"Well, he's not going to die today, okay? We'll make sure we save him," I assured her. She sniffled. "It's still really early, honey, why don't you go back to sleep?" She nodded, and the covers went back over her head. I could hear the occasional sniff.

Voldemort and I walked slowly and defeatedly through the dark hall.

"I think," I suggested, "we should take her to Madam Kali."

"I've been thinking the same thing," he said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

We entered the bedroom in a tense silence. I finally blurted, "Something's wrong. Something's really wrong." Neither of us had admitted it before that point.

Voldemort's only response was a sigh. I simply bit my lip and wondered how a girl so happy could so quickly become a girl so tortured. It feels like there is an unnatural force controlling us, tossing us from side to side like a summer storm.

I fear my family may be running out of luck.

**For anyone new to this series... The Ten-Review Rule: The next chapter will not be uploaded until the previous one has received ten reviews, regardless of whether or not the next chapter is ready.**

**Fairly simple? Good.**

**I also thought I should mention that all of my stories now have their own individual cover art. You may want to go check that out if you are interested. :)**

**Thank you! I've missed you all!**

**Love, DPN**

**P.S. Don't forget to review! And since this is a new story, you may want to favorite/subscribe if that's something you're fond of doing ;)**

**P.P.S. REVIEW! :D**

**Okay I'm done. See ya.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Quick update. So many wonderful reviews, so I just had to get a new chapter out. Keep them coming guys; you inspire me to write more frequently and with higher quality ^_^ so I thank you all very much.**

**I should also mention that they entertain me. Especially some of your guesses as to what is happening in the story. Ah, conspiracy theories. *tear*  
**

Seven times.

This question had been asked seven times already over the course of two hours and every time, the answer was the same.

"I don't know."

"I don't know, I don't know."

"I just don't know."

"I don't know. I don't know. I don't know, Madam Kali."

Still, the woman licked her lips stubbornly and asked once again as Lilith drew patterns on the silky purple tablecloth. I rubbed my eyes tiredly.

"Lilith, are you sure you can't tell me your friend's name?" Madam Kali's words were just as sweet as before, maybe even sweeter, but I could detect just a slight edge of impatience in her voice that I was sure Lilith was unaware of. It was like poisonous berries, tempting but deadly. Or perhaps it was better described as honey, smooth and syrupy with the sharpness of a bee's sting.

Lilith glanced up for a moment, and immediately a bright smile was plastered onto the pale woman's face. In a moment, my daughter's eyes were focused on the fabric again, and Madam Kali's grin melted off her face, leaving an exasperated scowl behind, accompanied by a lovely eyeroll in my direction.

I threw my hands in the air as if to ask, "What do you expect me to do?" but in a flash she was staring hungrily at Lilith again, and my offended expression went unnoticed. I glanced towards Voldemort. He was preoccupied by Gemini, trying to pry the little boy's fingers off his face that somehow kept finding their way into his nostrils.

"I'm sorry," she said shyly, "I really don't know." All of the sudden, something clicked in her mind, and her eyes snapped up. "I'm not lying," she informed the old woman defensively.

The wheels in Madam Kali's head had started to turn as well. "I know. Now Lilith, why?" she asked. "Why don't you know her name? Did she not say it clearly? Loudly? Can she not speak? Why?" She just might be onto something. "Why" was Lilith's favorite word.

Lilith's shoulders rose and fell, and her eyebrows shrugged along with them. "She can speak; she just never told me."

Madam Kali slammed her hands on the table and sighed, satisfied. "_Now_, we're finally getting somewhere. Did you ever ask?" She had a slightly maniac grin.

"No." An elbow now rested on the table, and Lilith's head fell on her hand.

There was a shimmer in the Seer's single eye. "Well, your friend is right here, isn't she?" she asked, patting the empty chair next to Lilith.

"Your hand just went through her right knee," came the dull reply. Lilith gave her a sidelong glance as she allowed gravity to squish her cheek into her palm.

The Seer stole it away quickly, and tried to discreetly wipe it on the tablecloth. It didn't work very well, however, because she accidentally grabbed the fabric as she did so, and with a _thump_, Lilith's arm was yanked out from under her and lay flat. Her fingers immediately took up her previous patterns and she raised her eyebrows at the Seer's slip-up.

"Yes, well," the Seer continued as if nothing had happened, "Do you think you could ask her?"

Perhaps the oddest thing about Lilith's interactions with her invisible friend was that her eyes focused on something that wasn't there. They did not simply stare at an object behind where the girl would have been, but fixated on that exact spot.

"Do you have a name?" Lilith inquired politely. Her legs dangled over the edge of the over-sized chair that she squirmed around in to face sideways. After a moment, she looked back towards the Seer.

"Well?" huffed Madam Kali.

"It's a secret," she informed her quietly.

"Are you not allowed to tell me or will she not tell you?"

I paced around anxiously, twitching my fingers as Lilith consulted her invisible friend.

"She won't tell me because she knows that you're going to use that thing in your left hand to hyptonize me."

"_Hyp_notize me. Hyp-no-tize," I corrected, and Lilith repeated it a few times as Madam Kali guiltily threw a dangling charm onto the table.

"Okay, we'll try something else. Do you like to draw, Lilith?"

"Sometimes."

"Would you draw your friend for me? And then the boy you call your brother?" Two pieces of paper and assorted crayons appeared on the table. The charm disappeared.

Lilith got right to work, and Kali watched intently. Every now and then, she would interject with, "As much detail as you can, Lilith," or "Could you fix the nose up a bit?"

Faces were formed. They were childish cartoons, at best, but the girl looked as Lilith described, and the boy was obviously not Gemini, nor was he any other member of the family. Despite having more questions than answers, I felt relief that my son was not in danger, at least as far as Lilith knew.

"Now this boy, Lilith... do you know his name?"

"Secret."

"Can you tell me why you think he is your brother?"

"I know he's not my brother," Lilith said with an eyeroll. "Gemini is my brother."

"Then why do you call him your brother?"

"That's what my friend calls him," she said and pointed towards the empty seat.

"How old is he?"

"She won't tell me."

"Well, you've seen him, haven't you? Has he told you anything?"

"No."

"You have no clue what is name could be."

"No."

"Have you ever seen him outside of your dreams, like your friend?"

"No.

"Has he ever spoken to you?"

"No."

A few minutes later, the questions were repetitive and unhelpful. Every question Kali asked, Lilith answered with "no." The Seer tried her last trick; she tried to bribe Lilith with candy, and she asked the questions all over again. But Lilith could tell her nothing. Kali gave her the candy bar anyways, and massaged her temples.

"I have nothing left," she groaned, tapping her long fingernails on the gold plate over her missing eye.

"Nothing," hissed Voldemort softly by the window. His eyes were fixated on the world outside; he did not spare the Seer a glance.

Madam Kali smoothed her long white hair nervously, but she straightened herself. "Absolutely nothing. I work with _dreams. Dreeeeeeams._ Not ghosts, especially not stubborn ones like this."

"What 'bout prophecies?" Lilith piped.

"Prophecies?" I asked nervously. "What do you know about prophecies, Lilith?"

"My friend says you messed up hers, and that's why no one sees her," she said, looking unconcernedly into Madam Kali's single eye.

"She says I messed up?"

"Lots."

"So she thinks it's _my_ fault that only _you_ see her."

Lilith squirmed. "Well... sometimes she says its mine, but she doesn't say that a lot anymore. And she used to blame Mother too. But most of the time she blames Dollar-Dolo...one of the Death Eaters-"

She was cut off by silence to our ears, and I suppose a soft voice to hers.

"Dolohov! That's it. And sometimes she blames you. But mostly him."

"Okay, I think we're done," I interrupted, picking up Lilith, and turning away.

"You can't be serious," gasped Kali.

"Why not?" I inquired with a single arched eyebrow. "You said yourself that we're not getting anywhere," I pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone, as I waved my wand about. Again, she looked somewhat anxious, emerald bits in her eye catching the light as she followed the path of the slender wood. She even bit her lip as Voldemort stood, and shuffled her feet backwards a hair.

"I'd say 'thank-you,' but..." Both Voldemort and I pointed our wands at the same time.

"Give us a reason we shouldn't," Voldemort threatened.

"Give me a reason you should," she retorted, tilted her head up and away as the wands drew closer to her throat. Her freckles popped from her pale skin. The gold plate glinted.

"You failed us. Isn't that reason enough?"

"You'll scare your daughter," Madam Kali pointed out. I lowered my wand a fraction of an inch.

"No, you won't," said Lilith. "She's creepy."

"I gave you candy!" she responded indignantly.

"And you think we haven't?" I snorted. My wand was back at her throat.

"Look," she said hastily, changing the topic, "I couldn't figure it out this time, but I've saved your hides before."

This time I dropped my wand a bit lower. Voldemort's movements mimicked mine ever so slightly.

"I haven't given up," she continued. "I'm loyal to the cause; I really am. I will help."

"So you think that your services to us today were adequate?" Voldemort questioned.

"This is _not_ my field of expertise. I've done _all_ I can with the dream portion of this. Think of what we've learned today. I could tell you in the first five minutes that Lilith's so-called friend was not just in her dreams, but a unique being that she somehow sees. We know that. And I can do more; you just have to give me some time.

"Please," she implored us. "I'm willing to do more that I'm trained to do, but you've got to give me time."

With a glance to Voldemort, I lowered my wand, and he did the same. Lilith pouted.

"You better hope that you have something of use to us soon," I warned. "Come on, Lilith."

As I wrapped my fingers around Lilith's wrist, and took Proserpina in my free arm, Madam Kali made her way over to a chair and sunk into it. As Voldemort held on to me and we prepared to Apparate, I smirked.

Kali was whispering "shit" under her breath repeatedly.

**Building up to some more action-y chapters. As interesting as all this dream/ghost/prophecy/weird stuff is, I know you all want war :D and secrets. They're on their way; I promise.**

**At least ten reviews before the next chapter! Thank you****!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! I'm very sorry for the delay; I got distracted by finals and then summah and then I was busy and then stuffs.**

**Not to mention I might have had a spot of writer's block. :/ Actually a LOT of writer's block.**

**Absolutely random, but I just wanted to let you all know that I completely ADORE British people :D :D :D**

**Ummm… and for anyone concerned that I wasn't going to continue the story (because there are always a few) I would never do that without informing you. And besides that, I have a backup writer to replace me in case anything ever happens. And if that didn't work out, I'd find someone else to continue. Point being… no matter what, this series will be completed! :)**

**10 reviews pleases and thank yous!**

"Lilith, get in here! If you don't hurry up a bit, we're going to be late!"

Again, the stubborn child ignored me and continued to press her face against the glass.

"Lilith, come on, let's go get you dressed."

Sighing, she pulled away from the now-smudged window, but made no move towards the bedroom, where her dress was waiting. I scooped her up and tried to put some excitement into her features. "You've been at that window for over an hour. You want to go outside, don't you?"

The only response I received was a shrug.

"Of course you do," I encouraged, desperately searching for some bit of life in her expression. "Listen," I said, walking her towards the door, "The sooner you get dressed, the sooner we go to the wedding, and we get to be outside for that."

I set her down on the bed and helped her to shrug off her dark green pajama top. "I think August is a wonderful time for a wedding, don't you Lilith? It'll be nice and sunny, but it won't even be too hot, and we're right on the beach."

She kicked off her bottoms and waited impatiently for me to help her don her dress. I held it close, however.

"Lilith," I said urgently, "please look at me."

Her eyes avoided mine. "I'm _cold_ mother."

I handed her the light pink fabric and ran my hand over my face tiredly. My fingers worked my temples as Lilith stood. I then adjusted the fluffy skirt and patted her arm with a smile. But she wasn't looking at me, and I soon found myself with sad eyes.

"You look very pretty," I commented, fastening a thin silver chain around her neck.

"Thank you, Mother. You do, too."

I was wearing a one-shoulder silver dress that molded to the shape of my body perfectly, clinging to every curve with grace. My hair was done up with pearls braided in, a pearl necklace and drop earrings to match. Fluttering around on white strappy shoes, I felt very elegant, but sad. My attire reminded me of flowers in a storm, my skirt swishing like rain.

Lilith was soon out the door and at the window again, her vacant expression matching the empty feeling in my heart. I forced myself to turn away and stare into the mirror as I loosened my right earring a bit, poking at the reddish raw skin it left.

"You shouldn't pick at scabs and poke at wounds," came a soft suggestion in my ear. Two long arms wrapped around my waist.

I scoffed, pinning back a few strands of hair.

"I mean more than just your ears," Voldemort continued, grasping my wrist, and I had no choice but to face him.

"It's good that you're trying to help her, but you're not doing any good."

I tried to protest, but he interrupted. "No, listen, Bellatrix. You're going about it the wrong way. You know she's just going to act like this. Stop expecting something out of it. You need to stop setting yourself up for failure."

I swatted aside his hand and turned away, twisting up my lipstick and gently applying it.

"And you need to stop mimicking her. That _certainly_ does not help."

I froze. "What?" I whispered.

"Please," he huffed. "Everything I say to you seems to go in one ear and out the other. You act like you don't even hear me anymore. Don't you think it's hard enough with _one_ of my girls doing that to me?"

"I'm sorry," I replied, turning back towards him. "You're right. It doesn't help things. But… it also doesn't help when you act like you enjoy it." I smirked.

"What?"

"Oh, please. I'm beginning to think you _like_ it when we don't say anything."

"It does help me think a bit clearer…"

"Would a nice slap across the face help you with that, too? Because you're going to get a smack, you are!"

An eyebrow went up. I bit my lip playfully.

Out of nowhere, he stuck out his foot to trip me, and I skillfully jumped over it. I landed slightly less skillfully and tumbled onto the bed.

A hand was held out. "Truce?"

"Oh you'd like that." I dug my nails into his palm.

"Ow. Merlin, Bella, cut those please."

"You wish."

"I thought it was your command?" He held out his arm. I hit it before taking it and allowing him to escort me out.

"Everyone knows genies don't exist."

"Come on, Lils, we've got a wedding to go to!" She came obediently to me as Voldemort retrieved the twins, Proserpina in a pink dress and white booties and Gemini in a matching white suit and pink tie.

"Remember," I said sternly, "you lot behave."

A few hours and a considerable amount of drinks later, I slurred, "Why did I have to wear a white dress, to my _second_ wedding, nonetheless? She's not!"

"She's wearing light pink. You wanted black."

The dress was gorgeous. Astoria was wearing a baby pink dress with a silver underbust corset, and detailed silver embroidery on the bust and hem of her skirt. With her auburn hair pinned up and curled, she looked like a rare beauty. With alcohol goggles, she looked like an angel.

"I still don't understand why you won't let me do karaoke. Narcissa's gone up twice. I can't let her show me up!"

"Trust me, you would regret it later," replied Voldemort. "And you already did karaoke, remember? Before the karaoke equipment arrived… before there was any music playing."

"It was a boring speech. Hey… hey… where are Lils and Serpina and… and..?"

"Gemini."

"Gemini!" I shouted, and promptly fell over laughing. "What about him?"

"You just asked where he was. And he and the girls have been perfect and obedient and are now asleep in their travelling seats. You might want to try it sometime. Take a leaf out of one of their books."

"Books are boring. I LIKE MOVIES!"

"Shh shh…"

"Okay, okay! I know they're developed from Muggle technology. Can't a girl have a guilty pleasure or two?"

"Bella, people are staring."

"Oh no, really? Should I take my dress off?" I shrieked in surprise moments later as someone came up behind me.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck you…. you scared me," I squealed gleefully.

"You might want to take her home now," Draco whispered.

"I can hear that! Don't you want me at your wedding, Draco-poo?" I teased.

Voldemort sighed. "She's just starting to annoy people _now_?"

"No," replied Draco. "Everyone's thoroughly entertained… which is why, for _her_ sake, I suggest you remove her before she does anything that will mortify her in the morning."

"I'm still here," I sang sassily as I itched the inside of my ear with my stiletto heel.

Voldemort's arm wrapped around my waist and the room spun.

"Now you're not." Right on time too, because at that moment I collapsed, thankfully onto my own forgiving bed.

**A somewhat light, humorous chapter… Idk nothing special.. I'm really sorry; I'm having a tough time right here. I hate these fluffy filler chapters. They're so hard to write. Hopefully we'll get to the real meat soon, and then it'll be smooth sailing. :)**


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